Mikhail Yangel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mikhail Kuzmich Yangel
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2011 Stamp of Ukraine depicting the image of Mikhail Yangel and R-11 rocket
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| Born | 7 November 1911 Zyryanov settlement of Irkutsk gubernia, Russian Empire
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| Died | 25 October 1971 (aged 59) |
| Resting place | Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Engineering career | |
| Practice name | Rocket engineering |
| Awards | Lenin Prize (1960), USSR State Prize (1967), 4 Orders of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, medals |
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Mikhail Kuzmich Yangel (Russian: Михаил Кузьмич Янгель; November 7, 1911 – October 25, 1971) was a brilliant engineer from the Soviet Union. He was born in Irkutsk, Russia. Yangel became the main designer for the Soviet Union's important missile program.
Contents
Mikhail Yangel's Story
Mikhail Yangel's grandfather was a political prisoner. He had been sent to Siberia by the old Russian government, known as the Tsarist regime.
Early Life and Career
Yangel started his career as an aviation engineer. He finished his studies at the Moscow Aviation Institute in 1937. He worked with famous aircraft designers like Nikolai Polikarpov and Artem Mikoyan.
Later, he moved into the field of ballistic missiles. These are rockets that follow a curved path to reach their target. Yangel was first in charge of their guidance systems. These systems help rockets fly in the right direction.
Building Rockets
Yangel worked with Sergei Korolev, another famous rocket scientist. Yangel helped set up a special center for rocket engines in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. This center later became his own design bureau, called OKB-586, in 1954.
At first, Yangel's team focused on making and improving intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). These are very long-range missiles. Yangel was a leader in using special fuels called hypergolic fuels. These fuels can be stored for a long time and ignite when mixed.
His design bureau created several famous missiles:
- The R-12
- The R-16
- The R-36
These missiles were also used to create launch vehicles. These vehicles are rockets that carry satellites or spacecraft into orbit. They are known as Kosmos, Tsyklon, and Dnepr.
In 1960, Yangel was very lucky. He narrowly avoided a terrible accident during the development of the R-16 missile. This event is known as the Nedelin catastrophe.
Yangel's design bureau was part of the Ministry of General Machine Building. This was a large government department in charge of creating machines and technology.
His Achievements and Legacy
Mikhail Yangel received many important awards for his amazing work. He was given the Lenin Prize in 1960 and the USSR State Prize in 1967. He also received four Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, and many other medals.
Mikhail Yangel passed away in Moscow in 1971.
Several places have been named after Yangel to honor him:
- A street in the Chertanovo neighborhood in Moscow.
- A Metro station called Ulitsa Akademika Yangelya (near the street).
- A street in Kyiv, Ukraine.
- One of the two main streets in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The other street honors his main rival, Sergei Korolev.
- A crater on the Moon is named Yangel.
A minor planet called 3039 Yangel was discovered in 1978. It was named after him by Soviet astronomer Lyudmila Zhuravlyova.
See also
- Sergei Korolev
- Vladimir Chelomey
